Starting DMR

[LuKe33!!]

Hi guys

I'm fairly new to airsoft and im looking for a longer range DMR to get as a first personal weapon, as i have been 3 times now using a hired M4 on two occasions and a G36 on the other occasion. from the three times i have played, i have found i like to stay at range and make longer distance shots, and i found the normal M4 and G36 to be no powerful enough to make some of those longer shots. i have around a £400-450 budget for all kit e.g safety stuff and gun, and i am looking at a specna arms SA-B16 SR16 SPR, on patrol base. looks like with a stock spring its getting around 320 fps however i was going to get a sp-120 upgrade spring for it to get it firing up to around 393 fps which is just below the limit of the field i am looking to play at which has a 400fps limit on semi auto locked DMRs, was wondering if anyone has any other ideas for a decent out of the box gun my actual budget for the gun itself is £230.I was going to use some of my RC aircraft batteries which are 1600mah 2s (7.4v) packs. i was also planning to do the semi auto lock mod on the gun allowing me to utilse the 400fps limit. any help will be appreciated.

[Davegolf]

Hi! Welcome to the sport!

 

I too find long range single shot kills very satisfying!

 

In short, power does not equal distance. Hop quality does.

 

If you want a versatile gun that can do long range shots without the handicap of minimum engagement etc within you budget get either a TM Recoil package second hand (in modified ideally) this will at 300-350 FPS shoot way further than you can probably imagine (without sounding condescending), plus you still have full auto and can use for CQB.

 

Or again a TM MWS GBBR however most say new players and GBBR don't get on for some reasons, personally they are immensely satisfying to shoot!

If you really want to shoot far and well without going sniper, this is THE ONE.

And you genuinely only need to do one mod that cost £15.

Fantastic kit you'll love forever.

 

 

I think all other guns are generally a detour journey that usually ends up after much expenditure not hitting the mark performance wise.

[LuKe33!!]

thanks mate 

could i was thinking as another option almost exactly this, i was thinking of getting a G and G FFR A2, and upgrading the hop up to a prowin M4 CNCd hop up chamber however i wasn't sure if i would work as it says its for a marui M4 not a GnG one could you recommend me any good hop ups id preferable get most things off ether patrol base or another trusted site so i don't have to pay shipping on multiple separate orders. thanks for the advice an welcome though

[Davegolf]

Most 'Marui' parts will fit other guns as for the most part they are clones of a Marui in the first place.

 

Most 'upgrades' (a prowin hop is a fine example) are not great.

 

Dont get me wrong, but a Marui out the box is damn good.

 

You could spend a whole lot of time and money on a lesser gun and still fall short. With your budget I'd go for the best because you can!

[LuKe33!!]

Ok thanks a friend of mine who has been in the sport a while recommended specna arms and ive found a good looking M4 by them ill link it see what you think, but i totaly agree with you about getting a better gun out of the box, however my budget for the gun itself is £230 as i need to buy all other starting things so... this one i am looking at is £200 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h02-416-carbine-assault-rifle?pv=7944

i was also going to ask if its worth getting a sidearm now or later on? i was looking at a GBB m1911 again on patrol base for £70

[Davegolf]

My bad! Misinterpreted your budget allocations!

 

Toptech G&G are good kit for that money, only need a bucking and barrel really.

 

Although there are lots of TM second hand for that money, no necessarily a Recoil but yeh.

 

[LuKe33!!]

ok thanks ill take a look

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Davegolf said:

power does not equal distance. Hop quality does

 

Urgh.  A 1.48J BB will go further than a 1.13J BB, all else being equal.  Airsoft doesn't have an exemption from the laws of physics.  Not even Toyko Marui.

 

[Wo1f]

8 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Urgh.  A 1.48J BB will go further than a 1.13J BB, all else being equal.  Airsoft doesn't have an exemption from the laws of physics.  Not even Toyko Marui.

 

The key word being all else being equal. The hop does 90% of the work. Hence why my R hopped recoil will shoot about 10m further than a friends DMR at 50fps less. FPS/joules is part of the equation, but your hop is the most important. Even if your FPS gives you that distance, you’ll never hit anything. 

 

Most people’s idea of building a DMR involves whacking a big spring in something. 

 

If you want an AEG, for the most part they’re all the same outside of the recoil range. I’ve always heard the m14’s have a superior hop design to most AEG’s but I can’t confirm personally. The important thing is a high quality barrel with a good hop setup. R hop is ideal, but you’ll get 90% of the performance from a maple leaf bucking and omega nub. Your cylinder needs to match the barrel length too. 

 

THE best DMR as far as I’m concerned is the MWS, but gas isn’t for everyone. After doing some testing with a rangefinder and by brother as a target, I was getting consistent 75m shots on him at 395ish FPS. 

[Samurai]

395fps on 0.20. Have you chronoed it with heavy BBs too? Gas guns joule creep a lot.

 

Power is not giving you range. But if both guns have the same quality hopup then higher power allows you to use heavier BBs, and that gives the useful range.

[Wo1f]

I know it joule creeps. I run .36 in it usually. 

[sonofsammo]

12 hours ago, LuKe33!! said:

I was also going to ask if its worth getting a sidearm now or later on? i was looking at a GBB m1911 again on patrol base for £70

Later on - add that £70 to your rifle budget 😉 

[L3wisD]

Wise words.

 

With a rifle with 400 shots on hand, you'll very rarely need a pistol. Unless you intend on going high power which gives you a minimum engagement distance.

Just now, sonofsammo said:

Later on - add that £70 to your rifle budget

 

[Asomodai]

3 hours ago, Wo1f said:

 

 

If you want an AEG, for the most part they’re all the same outside of the recoil range. I’ve always heard the m14’s have a superior hop design to most AEG’s but I can’t confirm personally. 

 

 

M14's use the Aug design. It should be worse because of the poor way it's held together. But my TM Aug HC runs at 210FPS on .25's and outranges my mates 330FPS Evo by some distance! 

[LuKe33!!]

thanks for all the replies and advice, this is why i want to get into this sport, because of the amazing community, do you guys suggest getting a £150-200 M4 and giving it a new barrel and hop. any recommendations of a good base M4 would be appreciated 

the main two guns i have been looking at are 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h02-416-carbine-assault-rifle?pv=7944

and

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-b16-sr16-spr-assault-rifle?pv=7920

one main reason i was looking at this one is because it has space in the stock for block batteries which i already have so it would mean i wouldn't have to buy new batteries which saves paying hobbyking shipping for something i already have just in a different form.

[Asomodai]

24 minutes ago, LuKe33!! said:

thanks for all the replies and advice, this is why i want to get into this sport, because of the amazing community, do you guys suggest getting a £150-200 M4 and giving it a new barrel and hop. any recommendations of a good base M4 would be appreciated 

the main two guns i have been looking at are 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h02-416-carbine-assault-rifle?pv=7944

and

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-b16-sr16-spr-assault-rifle?pv=7920

one main reason i was looking at this one is because it has space in the stock for block batteries which i already have so it would mean i wouldn't have to buy new batteries which saves paying hobbyking shipping for something i already have just in a different form.

 

If you want something a bit different have a look at the AUG A4 and the JG SL8 (Based on a G36)

 

They are both fairly cheap as well and respond well to upgrades. 

[Davegolf]

14 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Urgh.  A 1.48J BB will go further than a 1.13J BB, all else being equal.  Airsoft doesn't have an exemption from the laws of physics.  Not even Toyko Marui.

 

 

:face palm:

 

I know but for simplicities sake and giving a new player useful advice, hop/accuracy = winning.

 

6 hours ago, Wo1f said:

The key word being all else being equal. The hop does 90% of the work. Hence why my R hopped recoil will shoot about 10m further than a friends DMR at 50fps less. FPS/joules is part of the equation, but your hop is the most important. Even if your FPS gives you that distance, you’ll never hit anything. 

 

Most people’s idea of building a DMR involves whacking a big spring in something. 

 

If you want an AEG, for the most part they’re all the same outside of the recoil range. I’ve always heard the m14’s have a superior hop design to most AEG’s but I can’t confirm personally. The important thing is a high quality barrel with a good hop setup. R hop is ideal, but you’ll get 90% of the performance from a maple leaf bucking and omega nub. Your cylinder needs to match the barrel length too. 

 

THE best DMR as far as I’m concerned is the MWS, but gas isn’t for everyone. After doing some testing with a rangefinder and by brother as a target, I was getting consistent 75m shots on him at 395ish FPS. 

 

Thanks for that

 

[LuKe33!!]

are there any hops you recommend if i chose a normal M4 and would it be worth getting a new inner barrel if i buy a specna arms sa-h02

 

the other one i was looking at was this, which if i got would mean i wouldn't need new batteries...

[Wo1f]

2 minutes ago, LuKe33!! said:

are there any hops you recommend if i chose a normal M4 and would it be worth getting a new inner barrel if i buy a specna arms sa-h02

If you want that gun specifically, buy a 60 degree maple leaf bucking (yellow) maple leaf omega nub and a Prometheus inner barrel. You’ll have a long range rifle for reasonably cheap. Don’t bother with a DMR unless you’re going all out 

[LuKe33!!]

ok thanks that really helps ill take a look

also would you recommend getting a new spring i i get that specific gun

 

[Davegolf]

And just saying if you hunt around;

 

[LuKe33!!]

id prefer a railed hand guard personally so i can mount an AFG and a torch and its still a little out of my price range also is this the right bucking you reccomended

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maple-Leaf-Macaron-Hop-Rubber-Bucking-50-60-70-75-80-Degree-Nub-Airsoft-AEG/322773517760?hash=item4b26cd05c0:m:mxnXBIIWydNqzyfBFoBcORQ:rk:3:pf:0

also what will the inner barrel length be on that one i was looking at, it doesn't specify on patrol base.

[Davegolf]

Yeh all the handguards and stock are all interchangeable easily.

 

Yeh that's the bucking, can get from AK2M4 too.

[LuKe33!!]

does anyone know what the inner barrel length is on this gun

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h02-416-carbine-assault-rifle?fv=7947

 

[Skara]

6 hours ago, LuKe33!! said:

does anyone know what the inner barrel length is on this gun

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h02-416-carbine-assault-rifle?fv=7947

 

I'd say around 10.5"

Inner/outer barrels lengths differ only by a few millimetres